Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure is directed generally to pipes and more particularly to polymeric pipes and their installation.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the use of micro-boring or micro-tunneling has become more prevalent for installing underground pipes. The tunneling or boring machines can allow pipes to be installed under highways or freeways without having to break the road surface and disrupt traffic. Moreover, these machines can be used to install pipes under rivers and other small bodies of water.
The types of pipe that can be installed using these methods vary, but include water pipe and sewer pipes. As the industry is evolving, the types of pipes that can be installed using these methods also is changing. Other applications include pipes for municipal infrastructure improvements, residential utility delivery, water transfer, irrigation pipe and fluid transfer for mining operations, and even electrical conduit and temporary bypass systems.
Accordingly, the industry continues to need improvements in pipes, particularly improvements to pipes that can be installed using a micro-tunneling or micro-boring machine.